Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/222

214 of materials, and with very little pleasure to the spectators. Still, as regards the work itself, it was more beautiful than any other Grirandola that had ever been made up to that time.

The Duke then proposing to construct the Loggia of the new Market, for the greater convenience of the traders and for the advantage of his people at large, was not willing to lay the burden of that work also upon Tribolo, who, as Superintendent of the Capitani di Parte, and Commissioner of Roads and Rivers, had to travel up and down through all the State, as well as to look after the fosses of the city; there were, moreover, certain rivers, which he with great labour had to find means for confining within their boundaries, they not unfrequently overpassing the same, to the great injury of the neighbourhood. The repair of bridges and other works of similar character were in like manner under his care, and all these things considered, the Duke gave the works of the new Market in charge to II Tasso, which he did by the advice of Messer Pier Francesco, his Major-domo, thereby turning the said Tasso from a carpenter into an architect, which was indeed much against the wish of Tribolo, who would nevertheless not express the dissatisfaction which he felt, and appeared to be very much the friend of Tasso.

As a proof of this it may be remarked, that although Tribolo perceived many errors in the model prepared by Tasso, he did not choose, as is believed, to make any observation respecting them. Among other faults namely was this, that the capitals of the columns, which are before the pilasters, had not sufficient space left for them, insomuch that when all was prepared, and each part had to be put into its place, the corona at the summit of those capitals would not go in, and so much of it had to be cut away, that the whole range was spoiled; there were besides many other mistakes and oversights, of wdiich we need not speak further.

For the above-named Messer Pier Francesco, this Tasso executed the portal of the Church of San Romolo, with a window supplied with a curved grating, and looking on the Piazza del Duca. This he did in a manner entirely his own,